Kamala Harris Campaign Shifts Attention to Inflation

Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday launched a new advertising campaign that lays out her plans for building 3 million new homes over four years in an effort to curb inflation.
In a minute-long ad, Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, shares her personal journey of growing up in rental housing and how her mother saved for a decade before purchasing a home. The ad, which is targeted at voters in critical swing states like Arizona and Nevada, is part of a broader effort by the Harris campaign to bring housing issues to the forefront. This week alone, campaign surrogates are set to host 20 events centered on the topic of housing.
Beyond just increasing home construction, Harris’ plan includes offering up to $25,000 in financial assistance to first-time homebuyers—a proposal that could resonate strongly since housing costs continue to pressure the consumer price index.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, shelter costs have surged by 5.1 percent over the past year, compared to an overall inflation rate of 2.9 percent.
“Vice President Harris knows we need to do more to address our housing crisis and that’s why she has a plan to end the housing shortage” and will crack down on “corporate landlords and Wall Street banks hiking up rents and housing costs,” Dan Kanninen, the campaign’s battleground states director, told the Associated Press.
Newsweek reached out to Harris’ campaign and Trump’s campaign via email on Tuesday for comment.
Inflation remains a top concern among Americans, reflecting a loss of purchasing power as prices for goods and services rise over time. When the inflation rate is high, it suggests that prices are rising rapidly, often having an immediate impact on personal finances.
Former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee, has attributed price increases to President Joe Biden’s energy policies. Meanwhile, Harris has announced plans to propose new measures aimed at reducing costs and bolstering the economy.
The Harris housing plan proposes tax breaks for homebuilders who cater to first-time buyers and seeks to expand existing incentives for companies constructing rental housing. Recognizing that local zoning laws often limit housing supply, Harris also aims to double funding to $40 billion to incentivize local governments to relax these restrictive regulations.
Meanwhile, Trump has proposed various measures to reduce housing costs, including a claim in a June speech in Wisconsin that curbing illegal immigration would ease housing demand and, in turn, lower prices.
“I will also stop inflation by stopping the invasion, rapidly reducing housing costs,” Trump said.
Additionally, his campaign has floated the idea of opening more federal land for home construction and initiating a competition to develop as many as 10 new cities.
However, the Trump campaign has also pushed back against Democratic initiatives to build more apartments and condominiums in suburbs and cities, labeling these efforts as “Marxist” and a “war on the suburbs” that could devastate property values.
Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s national press secretary, has criticized Harris’ economic policies, branding them “Kamalanomics” and accusing the policies of making homeownership less attainable. Trump further attacked Harris’ proposal, questioning how she plans to finance the $25,000 grant for first-time homebuyers, and insinuating—without evidence—that it would benefit undocumented immigrants.
“She has no clue how’d she paid for $25,000 to every first-time homebuyer, including illegals,” said Trump at an August 19 rally in York, Pennsylvania.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.